Archive for the 'Sasha Vujacic' Tag Under 'Lakers' Category

Mario Chalmers is every bit the player Lakers fans wished Smush Parker and Sasha Vujacic would be, and Chalmers was very much a contributor, not a passenger, in Miami's title drive.

The Lakers have a player who might fill that role in Andrew Goudelock, given the trust of Coach Mike Brown and his patience to live through the growing pains, not evident in the Lakers season just past. It's important to note the Heat somehow won while incorporating a rookie guard, Norris Cole, in its rotation from the outset.

Pau Gasol, with his outside game, should be just as much a threat from the elbow or the corner as Chris Bosh was against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where the Heat forward also made timely cuts for easy baskets. It's all a matter of floor spacing, long a Pat Riley staple that Erik Spoelstra learned, and communicated, so well.

Expanding on the latter point, no matter what offense the Lakers choose to run in 2012-13, I can't see any reason why Kobe Bryant, who can still command double teams at age 32, can't facilitate somewhat to the degree LeBron James did in Game 5. Kobe has the basketball IQ and passing ability; it's a matter of the proper spacing, and movement, by the still-talented cast around him.

You can't live in the past, but what you did to win before certainly helps people remember your name.

Although not everyone in the NBA can get an offer to play overseas, two former Lakers guards who helped the team to championships are getting their calls: Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic.

Vujacic's $15 million contract, offered by the Lakers in 2008 but traded to New Jersey this year, expired at season's end -- meaning Vujacic had some freedom now during the NBA lockout. He decided last month to commit to play overseas for Anadolu Efes Istanbul.

Farmar, who served the Lakers as a union rep and works in that role for the Nets, stood alongside mentor Derek Fisher in New York in a business suit when the lockout was first announced in late June. Obviously, Farmar is well aware of the divide between the players and the owners.

The Lakers have no current plans to acquire Denver small forward Carmelo Anthony.

An ESPN.com report listing Andrew Bynum as trade bait for Anthony cited a source as saying the Lakers are "definitely an option" for Anthony, who wants out of Denver and is positioned to wind up in New York via trade or eventual free agency.

The Lakers do not intend to trade Bynum, at 23 their one youthful building block for the future and still coveted by Lakers vice president Jim Buss despite chronic knee problems. The organization's basketball decisions are increasingly being made by Buss on behalf of his father, Lakers owner Jerry Buss.

The Lakers have had previous Anthony-related discussions, but not only are the Lakers resistant to trading Bynum, they have no intention of adding a salary such as Anthony's. He would average more than $20 million per season in his extension if acquired and signed, and the Lakers already are uneasy that their league-high payroll is bloated now and into the future.

Bynum is scheduled to make $14.9 million next season, but the final season of $16.1 million is a team option that means the Lakers could re-sign Bynum for less or go a different direction in 2012-13. Anthony, if he doesn't opt out of his contract, would make $18.5 million next season.

More likely, getting dressed in the small visitor's locker room at Staples Center and heading to the opposite side of the sideline -- near Jack Nicholson's seat -- is what caused Vujacic a few strange moments Friday night before the New Jersey Nets faced the Lakers.

For the past seven years, Vujacic played for the Lakers. He wore purple and gold and the spacious Lakers locker room was his second home. But Vujacic was traded Dec. 15 to New Jersey in a multi-team trade that not only uprooted the Slovenia guard, but boosted his career.

"It felt different (walking into Staples) the first time for a shoot-around in Staples Center in a long time," Vujacic said. "It felt in a way different, but right."

What makes the trade right in Vujacic's mind is the fact he is getting more playing time with the Nets than he had been with the guard-laden Lakers. Vujacic, who was sat out many games in the early part of the season, is averaging 27 minutes off the bench with the Nets.

Vujacic's basket with 5.3 seconds left redeemed his foul that gave the Bulls the tying free throws with 11 seconds to play. He finished with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting in 28 minutes. He had one assist and three turnovers.

Vujacic was coming off a 22-point game against Kurt Rambis' Timberwolves.